Course 12: Relationships & Boundaries
Relationships & Boundaries as a Wellness Tool
Welcome to Course Twelve of the Wellness Walk
Relationships play a powerful role in our overall wellness. They can be a source of support, joy, and healing—but they can also be a source of stress, confusion, or emotional exhaustion. Learning how to navigate relationships with clarity and healthy boundaries is an essential part of caring for yourself.
At Life4Real, we believe that healthy relationships are not about cutting people off impulsively or keeping everyone at arm’s length. They are about discernment, honesty, and safety—understanding how others affect us and what we need in each season of life.
This session is designed to help you gently explore your relationships, understand boundaries, and recognize where adjustments may support your well-being.
This course is broken into three simple parts: Reveal, Reflect, and React. Each part is meant to meet you where you are and guide you forward with compassion.
What Are Boundaries?
Boundaries are healthy limits that protect your emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. They help define what is okay for you—and what is not. Boundaries are not walls meant to keep everyone out; they are guidelines that help relationships stay safe, respectful, and sustainable.
It is appropriate to set boundaries when:
A relationship leaves you feeling drained, anxious, or unsafe
Someone consistently ignores your needs or limits
You feel pressured to give more than you’re able
You notice patterns that negatively impact your well-being
Boundaries can change over time. What feels healthy in one season may need adjustment in another and that’s normal.
The Importance of an Inner Circle
While community is important, relying on a large group of people for emotional support can sometimes feel overwhelming or unstable. Many people find it healthier to have a small inner circle—a few trusted individuals they can truly depend on.
These are people who:
Respect your boundaries
Listen without judgment
Offer support without control
Show consistency and care over time
Not everyone in your life needs access to your deepest thoughts, emotions, or struggles. Part of wellness is discerning who has earned that level of trust.
Labels Don’t Always Tell the Whole Story
Someone’s role or label—husband, partner, parent, sibling, leader, friend—does not automatically determine the kind of relationship you are able to have with them.
It’s important to notice:
How this person impacts your mental and emotional health
Whether interactions leave you feeling supported or diminished
What you can realistically expect from them
Recognizing how someone affects you helps clarify what kind of relationship is healthy and possible, not what you wish it could be.
Seasons of Change
Relationships shift as life changes. Some seasons require more distance. Others allow for a deeper connection. It’s okay if certain people no longer fit in the same way they once did.
Letting go or creating distance does not have to be harmful. There are healthy, respectful ways to adjust relationships when you can no longer depend on someone as you once did.